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Records set to fall in Africa

Records are made to be broken, but the upcoming CAF Africa
Cup of Nations will likely mark an unprecedented new set of
milestones for the continental championship. Not only are the likes
of hosts Ghana and Cameroon seeking to match Egypt's record of
five continental titles, which they set in their own backyard two
years ago, but a number of leading players are also set to make
history.

Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan and his Cameroonian counterpart
Rigobert Song are set to compete in a seventh Africa Cup of Nations
finals tournament, which will tie the record set by Côte
d'Ivoire goalkeeper Alain Gouamene in 2000 and matched by
Hossam Hassan of Egypt two years ago. Song and Ahmed Hassan have
been at each edition of the event since 1996, although the latter
did not figure on the field in his debut trip to South Africa.

In Egypt two years ago, Song set an individual record of 27
matches in the competition, which he could extent to 33 if the
Indomitable Lions make it all the way to the final on 10 February.
Extraordinarily, the 32-year-old has played in every single one of
Cameroon's matches at the finals since 1996, taking home two
winners' medals in the process.

At the last Nations Cup finals in Egypt, the veteran defender
also became the first African from a country south of the Sahara to
join the FIFA Centenary Club for players with 100 or more
international appearances. Hassan is also a two-time winner,
scoring in the 1998 final and being named the best player of the
2006 event.

Le Roy assured, Eto'o hopefulOn the bench, Ghana coach Claude Le Roy will set new coaching
landmarks, even before the tournament kicks off on 20 January, but
his primary objective will be to ensure success for the host
nation. The Frenchman will nonetheless extend the record he set two
years ago for coaching at the most tournaments. Ghana 2008 will be
the sixth time he has taken charge of a team in the finals.

Le Roy, who will turn 60 on 6 February, began his journey in
1986 with Cameroon, whom he led to glory two years later. In 1990
and 1992 he was coach of Senegal and in 2006 he took Congo DR to
the quarter-finals. He has coached at 22 matches at the finals, one
more than the Polish-born Henryk Kasperczak.

Senegal boss Kasperczak will be in command at his fifth
tournament, a feat also matched by another Frenchman, Henri Michel,
who is back at the helm of Morocco.

Ghana already hold the record for the most appearances in a
final, but their record-setting seventh appearance in the deciding
match came as far back as 1992. Egypt, meanwhile, will play in the
finals for a 21st time, keeping up one of several records they
hold. The Pharaohs have won an unparalleled 40 matches in an
unparalleled 77 games at the finals. Their haul of 121 goals is
also a record.

The individual goal-scoring mark in the Nations Cup is now 38
years old. A total of 14 goals were posted by Ivorian Laurent Pokou
over the 1968 and 1970 tournaments although, with 11 to his name
going into Ghana 2008, Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o will be
hopeful of surpassing his mark.